


Seeking

by agentsofsomething



Series: A Different Path [5]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Angst, Cringe, F/M, Good John Garrett, Grant Ward isn’t Hydra, I finally had a chance to write skyeward yay, John Garrett isn’t Hydra, Romance, Skyeward - Freeform, The season finale we deserved, skyeward—freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-01
Updated: 2020-05-01
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:13:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,588
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23941354
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/agentsofsomething/pseuds/agentsofsomething
Summary: Ward knows he messed up with the younger members of his team, he’s going to fix it though.(so sorry for bad summary)(can be read separate from series)
Relationships: John Garrett & Grant Ward, Leo Fitz & Jemma Simmons & Skye | Daisy Johnson & Grant Ward, Skye | Daisy Johnson/Grant Ward
Series: A Different Path [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1716013
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	Seeking

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, this is a direct sequel to my last story Showdown ( https://archiveofourown.org/works/23852926 ) but it most definitely can be read separately from the series. I have two series on Showdown because one series is going to follow John Garrett and the other is going to follow Grant Ward.

**Location: The bus**

Grant Ward bit down on his tongue as he walked down the stairs of the bus following Garrett who had been following Fury. He tried not to let the pain in his foot cloud his judgment. Nothing felt like it was broken but it just made walking difficult. Once Ward was on the main floor on the bus, Coulson and May came into view.

It had only been a short period of time that Ward would’ve been standing down there with May and Coulson, the head agents. Now he just felt like the outside of the group. He should’ve just walked away from Coulson’s team when he had the chance and stayed flying solo.

“Coulson, May, Garrett I think we should converse in your office away from the kids.” Fury said as May and Coulson seemed to head up to Coulson’s office. Fury then looked at Ward. “Can you do something about that damn foot of yours? This was an expensive plane. I don’t need you bleeding all over it.” Before turning his back to follow up Coulson and May.

“Are you going to be okay on your own?” Garrett asked Ward knowing how bad his last encounters with his team members went. He had watched the footage of his kid on the bus with Skye, he sold being a psycho pretty well. Then he had dumped FitzSimmons out of the bus so there was no saying how they were all going to react to seeing him.

“John, I’m fine. I’m not the same damn 15 year old kid.” Ward said crossing his arms looking over at Garrett who just smirked.

“You’ll always be my kid though. That’s something you’re going to learn once you become a father.” Garrett said with a smirk before walking away. Ward went to say something like you’re not a father to Garrett but that would be a lie. Garrett was his dad.

Well that made Ward the kid that had been dragged to work with his Dad to bring your kid to work day. I mean essentially that’s all he had been since he was 18. He was 30 now but he still felt like that same scared kid as he made his way around the bus. He figured going to the bathroom and patching himself up would be the best but the shower was running. He assumed it would be Skye showering, she took r longest damn showers. 

Ward assumed everyone was in their bunks and he could go to his old bunk and stitch himself up. But that was considering Trip hadn’t taken over his bunk yet even though the team had only been back on the bus for a few hours. Ward decided the best choice was to head down to the lab.

He found himself shuttering walking down the stairs as all of the memories came back to haunt him.  _ “You lying bastard—” _ Not now. Never now. He kept himself together. Ward didn’t think he was going to keep it together when he walked to the front of the lab to see Skye and Fitzsimmons. 

Once Ward saw them he took a step back, he could handle some permanent foot damage. However, the floorboards around him betrayed him and the three looked over at him. 

“Oh Ward, Coulson said you might be stopping by. He said you got into a nasty debacle with May at Cybertek.”

Fitz said in a tone that made it feel like almost like nothing had changed.

“I just needed a needle and thread then I’ll be out.” Ward said gaining the confidence to walk into the lab and start searching around for a stitching kit. This was a conversation he wasn’t ready to have.

“But we can—” Fitz started but Ward looked at him with an icy gaze. One the three younger agents hadn’t seen since the early days of the bus. “You don’t need to help me, you don’t owe anything to help me. I can handle myself.” Ward interjected Fitz.

“Ward, sit down.” Simmons said in a voice trying to sound authoritative but Ward just ignored her and grabbed a little stitching kit and went to walk out of the lab. He couldn’t handle this, not now.

“Grant.” Came the voice from across the lab. He stopped in his tracks. Seeing and hearing Fitzsimmons he could handle but nothing with her. “Let then help you.” Skye said as Ward turned to look over his shoulder then sighed and nodded. 

He walked towards Simmons who gave him one of her chipper smiles. “Let’s see the damage.” She said as Ward sat down on top of the holotable and with a groan he lifted up his bloodied shirt and pulled off his shoe.

“Does he always have to have his damn shirt off?” Fitz mumbled angrily but there was no real heat behind it.

“May shot a nail gun through my foot. I pulled the nails out. I’m sure May also broke a few ribs.” Ward explained causing everybody in the room to cringe at the thought of that.

“Why would you pull the nails out of your foot yourself? You would have injured yourself worse.” Simmons scolded as she picked up Ward’s foot to examine it. 

“There was a job to do. It was mine and I didn’t have the luxury in just sitting down waiting for someone to hold my hand.” Ward said a little bitterly as Simmons started working.

“What’s the story with you and Garrett? How did you end up getting involved with all of that?” Fitz asked Ward. Yes it was a distraction but Ward also owed them a hell of an explanation.

Ward stayed quiet for a minute looking down at the ground. “You did throw us out of the bus, I think we deserve some answers.” Simmons said her voice gentle but stern.

“I guess I deserved that one. It floated and it did its job so I don’t think you guys can complain but I’ll bite. I met Garrett when I was 15.” Ward said simply and laid down to let Simmons work. “I was in juvie facing arson charges.” 

“On your family?” Skye asked curiosity. After all she did know the most about his past out of herself and the two scientists.

“My older brother.” He grimaced looking at the bright light of The ceiling. “I got a call from my younger brother telling me Christian did something… He crossed a line. I was in military school because my parents thought I needed to be straightened out.” He said with a bitter laugh. “Like I was ever a bad child, they just believed Christian all the time. So I drove home over 1000 miles and lit the Ward house ablaze. I got to the point I didn’t care what happened to me, I’d rather my sister and younger brother be safe than live knowing they’re in danger. I wasn’t stealthy as a 15 year old. I got caught and arrested. Christian tried to get me tried as an adult. John got me out.” Ward explained looking backwards to see Skye looking at him. They made eye contact for a moment, only a moment.

“So what did he do after he got you out? Leave you in the woods? Oh my god, is that why you have such crappy people’s skills?” Skye asked, causing Fitz to laugh and Simmons just to shake her head and send Ward a sympathetic look. Ward shyly smirked to himself, it was so typical skye wow. He would take this over his last encounter with Skye.

“No, I actually went to highschool, I was a normal kid for a while and it was great. I dated, I went to homecomings and proms. I graduated. I played lacrosse.” Ward said with a smile coming to his face. “I mean I loved every minute of having a normal life but I had to wake up and face reality.” 

“So what happened?” Fitz asked abruptly, causing Ward to tense up. Ward knew the Scottish man couldn't control his questions but Ward was used to bottling everything up in his chest and planning on dying with it.

“Don’t tense up. I’m almost done with your foot. Then I’ll wrap your ribs. Again. The second time in only weeks, I thought you were supposed to be careful.” Simmons commanded, making Ward feel as if he was inferior.

“I’m sorry.” Ward said softly and then waited a minute to talk. “I had a life plan.” Taking the three in the room by surprise, unable to see Ward as anything but Agent Ward. “I was decently smart in school, I graduated high school with my associates because I wanted to be a high school English teacher, help kids. I still love reading but back then wow, I wanted to do something with it. I was in my first year of college, I went away and god if I stayed in college longer I don’t think I’d have a liver.” Ward laughed to himself causing Skye and Fitz to shoot each other weary looks, Ward never had his guard down this low like this. “So I showed up home for thanksgiving break. John just collapsed and I was so scared, I thought he was dead. That was the day I found out about everything, S.H.I.E.L.D, Hydra. Ironically enough, if Garrett didn’t pick me up from juvie, Hydra probably would’ve but he didn’t want that happening. I have a specific skill set, I was too young to care where it was being used if Hydra picked me up at 15, I know that now. But after that day, my priorities shifted. I wanted to be able to help John, he was the only family I had for a long time.” Ward said but it went unsaid that John was the only family he had until the team. By the time he was done with his little monologue, Simmons was looking at his ribs.

“So it’s always been Garrett over everyone else.” Skye said bitterly. Ward understood their bitterness knowing where it was coming from, he did kinda break her heart. He shot her a sympathetic look with those puppy dog eyes of his.

“But I can't apologize enough for everything that I’ve done to this team. For everything I’ve done the last few weeks, hell since the moment I walked onto this damn plane, because after I got to know you guys, the last thing I wanted to do is hurt any of you. We were a good team…” Ward continued not letting a smile in on the inside.

“What do you mean we were a good team? You’re not evil… you’re gonna come back and we’re all going to be a team again.” Fitz said looking at Ward, the man who had become his big brother, who protected him so many times.

“Fitz, I don’t know what the future is gonna hold for me. I’m a specialist, I go in alone and get the job done. If my money’s on it, Fury is going to have more jobs for me to do with Hydra.” Ward said and then looked at Simmons. “Thank you, you didn’t have to do this.” 

“As much as you don’t want to admit it, Ward, we are a family here and it’s going to take a lot more than throwing us out of a plane to shake us away.” Simmons said as Ward brought his hand to sides of his head so his eyes were blocked. He wasn’t going to cry.

“I never said we weren’t a family.” Ward said, keeping his voice steady. “But I’m going to have to go eventually and I don’t want to make this harder on any of us than it’s going to be.” That’s why he had always kept his distance. He didn’t want the kids forming attachments to him or the other way around because once this mission was over, he knew he was going to have to leave and he didn’t want to break any hearts.

“Can you guys give us a few minutes?” Skye asked abruptly causing everyone in the room to freeze. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to beat him up.” Skye half joked looking at FitzSimmons who both just nodded and made their way out of the lab. Ward swallowed hard as he watched Fitz and Simmons walk away. 

“I’ll grab you some clean clothes from your bunk. Feel free to use the decontamination shower to clean yourself up. I can wrap your ribs after you shower.” Simmons said before exiting the lab. Once the door at the top of the steps closed Skye was up in his face.

“Skye…” Ward spoke hopping off of the holotable once the door closed shut and taking a step towards Skye, reaching his arm towards her. Skye just crossed an arm across her chest and moved in poking her pointer finger on the other hand in his chest, hard. 

“No, you don’t get to break my heart and come back and then leave again, Grant. That’s not how things work.” Skye said her voice breaking as she looked at Ward. “Do you know how much I cried over you?” She said tears started to well up in her eyes as she slammed her hands into his chest. 

“Do you honestly think I wanted to hurt you? You know how I feel about you, Skye.” Ward said as he brought his hand up to cup her cheek in his hand. God how he missed the feel of her on his skin.

“Don’t say that phrase, those are bad memories, Grant. I want to fix us, not break us even more.” Skye said and took a step closer to him as she leaned into his hand. She had flashbacks to their last conversation only a few feet away.

“Skye, I didn’t want to break what we have—had—have because you’re amazing. And I want to develop that but you know how dangerous our line of work is.” Ward said, bringing his other hand through her hair.

“You know everything we faced in the field wasn’t as bad as me thinking I knew the man I fell in love with but to find out that all was a lie. It was the worst heartbreak I think I’ve ever had because he wasn’t even real to start with.” Skye admitted.

“Skye, I’m so sorry. I never meant to hurt you. That’s the last thing that I ever wanted to do to you.” Ward said brushing his thumb along her cheek gently and placing a kiss to her forehead.

“That doesn’t mean it hurt any less. Sitting at a motel crying in some flea bag bed looking at your picture because everything I knew about you was a lie.” Skye said, her voice growing icier but not breaking herself away from him.

“Nothing between us was a lie, I might have been undercover but I couldn’t lie about what was between us, Skye. I wouldn’t ever be able to fake something that felt that real.” Ward said looking down at Skye. “I can’t fake love like that because I didn’t think it existed until you.” Ward said as Skye looked up to see Ward through her glassy eyes.

“Then why did you make me think you were Hydra. When it was just us on the bus, you could’ve told me and I would’ve believed you. Or you could’ve told me at Providence, you know I always put your word above anyone else’s because you—you—” Skye said, choking on the words.  _ Fuck, hold it together, Skye. _

“Skye, I was on a mission, as bad as I wanted to do that I couldn’t. You know I’m a spy.” Ward said a coldly cutting her off causing himself to get a slap across the face from Skye. “I deserved that.” He said looking down not making eye contact with him.

“Can you not be an asshole for two seconds?” Skye said pushing him away from her and turning her back to him for a minute. “You’re such an asshole, Grant Ward. Just fuck the spy shit for a few minutes and be the human being you said you were.” Skye snapped just as cold as him.

To that, Ward didn’t respond with words. He grabbed her by her waist and turned her around so she was looking into his eyes. Ward places a kiss down on her lips gently, just like their first kiss in the storage closet. 

  
  


Skye smiled against his lips. “Do you not moisturize your face. Your stubble is so rough.” She said bringing her hair up the back of his neck and into his hair as he rested his forehead down on hers.

“Don’t ruin the moment, Rookie.” Ward said but no foul play or meaning in his words. A second later, they found themselves making out like teenagers until Ward picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his waist, linking her ankles together in the back. 

“Grant… ribs…broken...” Skye tried to say in between kisses. Ward placed her on the holotable and pulled away from her lips to kiss down her neck.

“You… talk… too… much.” Ward said kissing his way down her neck as Skye reached for the buttons on his pants. 

“That’s not the first time you’ve said that.” Skye said, lacing her fingers into his hair and pulling him up to his full height so she could look him in the eyes.

“You want this?” Ward asked his voice huskier and eyes looking darker than they had a few minutes prior. Skye just nodded reaching her arms around his neck. “I need to hear you say it.”

“Yes, I want you and your shirt is already off so that makes my job easier.” Skye said, causing Ward to let out a chuckle because that was such a Skye comment. The laugh was both on their lips as Ward pressed a kiss to Skye’s lips.

* * *

Skye was running her fingers through her hair trying to fix it as Ward was in the shower. Fitzsimmons hadn’t returned back since they left so Skye was wondering if they had heard her and Ward. She was hoping they didn’t and they were just giving her and Ward their space. 

Her thoughts came true when Simmons walked in through the lab doors. “Oh you’re still here and Ward’s still in the shower.” Simmons said as Fitz dropped the clothes a few feet away from the contamination shower.

“I just thought I should make sure Ward didn’t fall or anything.” Skye lied smoothly. 

“Then why is Ward still in the shower? He normally takes short showers.” Fitz said and on cue Ward shut off the water and wrapped a towel around his waist.

“The clean water felt nice for a change, maybe you should try it, Fitz.” Ward said drying off behind the shower curtain.

Simmons was quietly staring at Skye then letting her gaze go down to a dark bruise on Skye’s neck. Once she realized it wasn’t a bruise, all the pieces went into place and then she let out a loud gasp causing Skye ans Fitz to look at her.

“Oh Fitz, can you help Ward wrap his ribs while he’s indecent. He might need a little help drying over, he took quite a beating from May.” Simmons said and gave Fitz a look that just communicated in their own little language to beat it.

Simmons ran over to Skye and pulled her arm once Fitz had walked over towards Ward. “You guys had sex!” Simmons yell whispered to her best friend.

“No!” Came from Skye far too quickly for Simmons to believe that it was the truth.

“Skye how’d you get a hickey on your neck?” Simmons asked as Skye flushed redly. 

“Fine, we had sex.” Skye gritted through her teeth causing Simmons to let out an excited squeal.

“About time you two stopped dancing around your imminent sexual tension and got it on.” Simmons said practically jumping with joy. “Also Fitz owes me $20 so I am very thankful for that.”

“You guys did not bet on my sex life.” Skye hissed at her best friend.

“I said you guys were going to get it on the second we left the lab, Fitz thought Ward would be a proper gentleman and wait until you guys were in a hotel room. I mean I don’t blame you, if I had a boyfriend that looked like that…” Simmons asked as Skye looked at her.

“Jemma, no…” Skye said shaking her head as Ward and Fitz walked out from behind the decontaminated shower, Ward playing with his wet hair.

“Fitz, you owe me 20.” Simmons squealed as Fitz gaped at Skye and Ward.

“You damn bastards couldn’t have kept it in your pants for a few more days.” Fitz curses reached into his pocket and Skye walked over to Ward and wrapped her arms around his waist.

“Hi you.” Ward wrapped one arm around Skye’s waist.

“Hey yourself.” Skye said smirking you at Ward. 

“You know we’re going to have a long talk and figure some shit out?” He asked, placing his head on top of hers.

“We can deal with that later, right now we can just hang out with our friends.” Skye said sneaking her hand into Ward’s back pocket. And in that moment Ward felt like he was the luckiest bastard in the world.

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you liked my work, please give me feed back, comments, questions concern. I’m writing these because I am bored during quarantine and beyond stressed for exams. The next three weeks I might not be able to write as much but after exams hopefully I can write a lot. Stay safe!


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